Monday, October 5, 2009

Bartoli sings Handel aria


This is the aria un pensiero nemico di pace from the Italian version of Handel's oratorio The Triumph of Time and Truth (Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno). It is Handel's 1757 English version of this oratorio that is the namesake of this blog.

It's hard to imagine anyone singing this better or with more virtuosity than Cecilia Bartoli. Note especially in the da capo when, at about 3'19", she sings a particularly viciously difficult run an octave higher than written. This is bravura with skill to spare. Jaw-dropping.

Un pensiero nemico di pace
fece il Tempo volubile edace
e con l'ali la falce gli diè.
Nacque un altro leggiadro pensiero
per negare si rigido impero
on'il Tempo, più Tempo non è.

A thought inimical to peace
created inconstant, voracious Time,
Endowing him with both wings and a scythe.
Then was born a second, happy thought,
to parry such a harsh dominion,
in which Time is no longer Time.

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